It’s been another busy week in Lane Cove, from 22 to 29 September 2026. Here’s what you need to know, starting with the story everyone’s talking about: Goodman has walked away from Project Mars.
Goodman Pulls the Plug on Project Mars
Goodman has withdrawn its application for Project Mars, the 90 megawatt, 24-hour data centre proposed for 12 Mars Road, Lane Cove West, ending an 18-month planning process that drew a record 374 public submissions (only nine in favour). It comes six days after Goodman told a Senate inquiry hearing in Lane Cove it hadn’t secured a social licence for the project. Mayor Merri Southwood called it “a win for our community.” Other data centre proposals for the Lane Cove West Business Park, including AirTrunk’s, are not affected, and Council says its advocacy isn’t finished.
Up to 30,000 Without Water, Then More Mains Burst
It started at 6.30am on Friday with a burst trunk main in Ronald Avenue that left up to 30,000 residents and businesses across Lane Cove, Greenwich, Wollstonecraft, Artarmon and North Sydney with no water or low pressure. Then it kept going. Two more mains broke overnight Saturday in Centennial Avenue and Cope Street, affecting 61 homes, and by Monday readers were reporting leaks in Grace Street, Parklands Avenue, Longueville Road and River Road. We’ve asked Sydney Water why Lane Cove is seeing so many bursts and what five proposed data centres would mean for ageing pipes. Our street-by-street tracker is being updated as answers come in. Spotted a leak? Call Sydney Water on 13 20 90, then let us know.
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Lane Cove News
Final Week to Sign the Safer Bus Stops Petition
The ePetition calling for targeted CCTV at school and high-risk bus stops needs 20,000 signatures by Monday 5 October to be debated in NSW Parliament. It was started by a Riverview parent after his son was assaulted at a Hunters Hill bus stop. If you’re a NSW resident and want it debated, you can sign here.
50 Locals Get Their Hands Dirty in Mindarie Park
More than 50 residents aged 5 to 80 turned out for the annual Stringy Bark Creek Bushcare Day Out in Mindarie Park, Lane Cove North, on Saturday 26 September. Together they planted more than 40 native seedlings and weeded the surrounding bushland, then heard from Council’s Bushcare Coordinator about native plants, wildlife habitat and the Cammeraygal history of the area before morning tea. The day was run by Lane Cove Council with the Stringy Bark Creek Residents Association. Keen to join in next time? There are Bushcare groups at Stringy Bark Creek and Wilson’s Creek (Batten Reserve). Email [email protected] or see Council’s Bushcare page.
The Queue Said It All: Friday in the Plaza Was Buzzing
The last day of term kicked off the weekend in style on Friday, with the Plaza absolutely humming. Gelatissimo put on $5 scoops to show off its freshly refurbished shop and half of Lane Cove turned up for one, if the queue was anything to go by. First Fridays in the Plaza had a lion dance on the stage, craft tables with Gallery Lane Cove and the Creative Studios, live music and pickleball at The Canopy. It was part of the Lane Cove Festival with Sydney Fringe, and the day rolled straight into a free concert at 6pm.
50 Voices Fill The Canopy With Songs From Our Backyard
Local award-winning vocal ensemble Soulfood A Cappella brought 50 voices to The Canopy on Friday night for Songs from Our Backyard, a free concert of their own arrangements of Australian pop from the last 50 years. Think Cold Chisel, Tina Arena, The Easybeats, Gotye, Megan Washington, Sia and Lior.
ITC was in the crowd and had been looking forward to this one. It didn’t disappoint. If you missed it, stay tuned. We’ll be bringing you more about this local group very soon.
The concert was part of the Lane Cove Festival with Sydney Fringe, supported by The Canopy Lane Cove.
The Rumours Are True: Fleetwood Mac Packed Out The Canopy
The Canopy was absolutely packed on Saturday night for Rumours, the Fleetwood Mac tribute show. For a while it looked like the weather might have other ideas. The wind was intense and chilly and came close to calling the whole thing off, but the show went on with nothing worse than a bit of misty rain. Nobody seemed to mind. It was an amazing performance, the crowd sang along to every hit and plenty of people Didn’t Stop dancing. Another cracker of a night at The Canopy.
More of Bradfield Park Coming Back
After years of pushing by North Sydney Council, the NSW Government will scale back the Transport for NSW worksite beside the Harbour Bridge’s northern pylon, returning more of Bradfield Park at Milsons Point to public use. Work starts this year, with new landscaping, drainage and turf plus an extended Bradfield Plaza in 2027. More from North Sydney Council.
Have Your Say
How Should Council Use CCTV?
Council has released a Draft Surveillance Camera Policy setting rules for how CCTV and other cameras are installed, used and managed in public spaces and Council facilities, including how footage is stored and accessed and how privacy is protected. It also covers newer technology such as automatic number plate recognition. Read the draft and share your feedback by 16 October.
Proposed $5,000 Fee for Planning Agreement Offers
Council is proposing a flat $5,000 fee to cover the cost of assessing a developer’s draft Planning Agreement offer. Have your say by 26 October.
Disability Inclusion Action Plan 2027 to 2030
Council is renewing its Disability Inclusion Action Plan and wants to hear how well it supports people with disability, chronic health conditions or caring roles. The survey takes 10 to 15 minutes.
Business
Four National Awards for Bloomingtails Founder Candice Wilson
Lane Cove business owner Candice Wilson, founder of Bloomingtails, won an award in every category she entered at the 2026 AusMumpreneur Awards:
- Gold: Animal Care Business of the Year
- Silver: Service Business of the Year
- Silver: Customer Service People’s Choice
- Silver: Business Making a Difference People’s Choice
Candice started Bloomingtails grooming just one dog a day. More than a decade later it’s a team of 30, offering grooming, daycare, dog walking, pet transport and even farm stays in the Hunter Valley. A qualified vet nurse with more than 20 years in pet care, she says she simply wanted to create somewhere she’d feel completely comfortable leaving her own dogs.
“I have never studied business and I never had a business mentor. I have learnt through experience, hard work, surrounding myself with incredible people and, most importantly, staying true to why I started Bloomingtails in the first place,” Candice said.
Congratulations Candice and the whole Bloomingtails team!
What’s Going on With the Elephant Car Wash Sign at Northwood?
A few of you have spotted the Elephant Car Wash signage on the Jack & Co site at Northwood. We asked. It’s a separate business to Jack & Co, a new automated car wash that’s hoped to be finished by the end of the year and open after Christmas. We’ll bring you more when we hear from the owners.
New Butcher Coming to Riverview
The old butcher shop on Tambourine Bay Road in Riverview, next to the Riverview Deli, has a fresh coat of dark green paint and a new sign in the window: Sofala Hill Butchery, coming soon. No opening date yet, but the fit-out is well underway and we’ll let you know when the doors open.
Dine at The Canopy, Earn a Lane Cove Gift Card
A new promotion at The Canopy’s restaurants kicks off on Wednesday 30 September, with diners earning a Lane Cove gift card based on how much they spend. Participating restaurants and terms are on The Canopy’s What’s On page.
General Information / Safety Alerts
Library Accounts Back Online With a New Catalogue
After two weeks offline, the Shorelink library system switches over to a new catalogue on Tuesday 29 September. Online accounts, holds, the Lane Cove Libraries app and self-checkout come back, along with better search, staff recommendations, reading lists and SMS alerts when your holds are ready. Loan periods were extended during the changeover, so nothing fell due. More from Council.
Flags Up, and a First for Harbour Swimmers
The 2026/27 beach patrol season started on Saturday 26 September and runs until 27 April. There’s also a new Tagged Shark Listening Station near Balmoral, one of the first two in Sydney Harbour. It sends real-time alerts to the SharkSmart app when a tagged shark is detected nearby. Worth a download before your next harbour dip. Read the announcement.
Music Lessons for Every Public Primary Student
Under the NSW Government’s new 10-year Time for Music plan, every public primary student from K to 6 will get yearly music lessons and the chance to learn an instrument, with more support for school bands and choirs. It will be rolled out in stages, so our local public schools will see it arrive over the coming years. Read the announcement or the full 10-year plan.
Free Back-to-Work Program for Parents
A Lane Cove local has let us know about Jobs Academy Parents, a free, government-funded, year-long virtual program from Future Women that launches in October. It’s built around caring responsibilities, with online courses, one-on-one mentoring, jobs fairs and a parent community. It’s open to any parent of a child under 18 with Australian working rights. Apply here.
Upcoming Events
Still sorting out the next two weeks?
The spring holidays kicked off on Monday and run until Friday 9 October. Our guide has the camps, workshops and free activities across Lane Cove and beyond, all in one place.
School holidays are here and there’s plenty on. For camps, workshops and free activities, see our spring school holidays guide. A few highlights:
All holidays: Gallery Lane Cove holiday workshops with creative camps, ceramics, art and sewing for kids from Kindy to 14. Filling fast.
Tue 29 Sep: Family Dance Party at Lane Cove Libraries, 11am, free.
Wed 30 Sep: 50th Anniversary Spring Fashion Parade at St Andrews Uniting Church Longueville, 10.15am, $15.
Wed 30 Sep: Bursting Into Life by Different Degrees Theatre Ensemble at Pottery Lane, 6pm, free.
Thu 1 Oct: Cove Connect coffee catch-up at The Canopy, 7.30am to 9.30am, free.
Thu 1 Oct: Author Talk at Lane Cove Library with Sophie Stern, Cassie Stroud and Katie Hoskins, hosted by Emma Babbington, 6.15pm. Bookings essential.
Thu 1 to Sat 3 Oct: I Couldn’t Find a Babysitter family clown show at Pottery Lane, 11am.
Sat 3 Oct: Oktoberfest at The Diddy, Longueville Sporting Club, from midday, 18+.
Sun 4 Oct: Repair Cafe at the Living and Learning Centre, 2pm.
Tue 6 Oct: Pizza + Movie Night: Churchill’s Secret at St Andrews Longueville, pizza from 6.30pm, $15.
Sun 11 Oct: Lane Cove Rotary Fair, 9am to 4pm.
Tue 13 Oct: Pollard Memorial Instrumental Awards at St Andrews Longueville, 7.30pm.
For everything else, check out In the Cove’s Events Calendar.
Local Sports
Lane Cove FC’s Record 90th Season, and It’s Not Over Yet
Lane Cove Football Club has wrapped up a record-breaking 90th season, with more teams than ever and eight grand final wins. One team is still going: the title-winning Women’s O30 Div 1 Yellow side plays the Football NSW Champion of Champions semi-final on Sunday 11 October. Good luck to the team! Trials for 2027 will be announced soon on the LCFC website.
Lane Cove Sailors Take on the World in Newport
Lane Cove 12ft Sailing Skiff Club members Karyn Gojnich and Vicki Kornman finished 11th of 20 at the New York Yacht Club’s International Women’s Regatta in Rhode Island, and were one of only six teams to win a heat, racing against a fleet full of professional sailors. Closer to home, the club’s season is underway and registrations are open for its first Learn to Sail camp from 6 to 9 October.
The big stories we wrote about this week
- “You can hear the humming before you can see it”: Lane Cove West Residents Pack Out Data Centre Meeting →
- Lane Cove Has Its Say as Federal Inquiry into Data Centres Visits Lane Cove →
- Up to 30,000 Lower North Shore Residents and Businesses Without Water: The Latest Update →
- Lane Cove Council Defends Cancellation of Lane Cove Food and Wine by the River →
- Lane Cove Council September Meeting: Bike Plan, Smart Glasses Ban and Burns Bay →
- All Harbourside Beaches in Lane Cove LGA Rated Good in 2026 Water Quality Report →
- Lane Cove, Get Your Vote In: Radio National’s Top 100 Australian Books Closes 1 October →
- Critically Acclaimed Indie Play ‘Gia Ophelia’ Returns to Lane Cove →
- Top Ten Most Misunderstood Road Rules: Which Ones Do You Get Wrong? →
- It’s Bogong Moth Month →
- Vale Associate Professor John Herbert Overton AM: A True Gentleman →
- Lane Cove Library Throws Open Its Doors for HSC Students →
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